Electric chime and striking clock



p 1958 A. w. FOWLER 2,851,850

ELECTRIC CHIME AND STRIKING CLOCK Filed Sept. 16, 1955 v 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

ARNo W. FOWLER Y FIGZ. B

Sept, 16, 1958 A. w. FOWLER ELECTRIC cams AND STRIKING CLOCK 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 16, 1955 v INVENTOR. ARNo W. FOWLER P 1958 A. w. FOWLER 2,851,850

ELECTRIC CHIME AND STRIKING cLocK Filed Sept. 16, 1955 v 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN V ENTOR.

ARNo W. FOWLER B2 Sept. 16, 1958 A. w. FOWLER ELECTRIC CHIME AND STRIKING CLOCK 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Sept. 16, 1955 INVIENTOR. ARNo W. FOWLER Arm/awn United States Patent ELECTRIC CHIME AND STRIKJNG CLOCK.

Arno W. Fowler, Highland, Ill. Application September 16', 1955, Serial No; 534,687

17 Claims. 1 (Cl. 58-1'3) This invention pertains to' clocks and morev particularly to electric clocks having striking mechanism.

An object of this invention. is to provide striking mechanism of simplified construction, such that the clock structure may be reduced to a minimum size.

Generally stated the invention comprises amecha'nism' which may be driven by the ordinary time train of an electric clock, the driving connection being made and broken at suitable time intervals. Improved mechanism for controlling such intervals and vfor. operating the connection is provided. Such mechanism includes su-b mech anisms for striking chimes at the half or'quarter hours and striking mechanism for striking the hours. In the following description the generalterm strikingmechanism will be used to include either or both of the chiming and hour-striking mechanisms.

A preferred embodiment of this invention'and a modification thereof are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings in which- Fig; 1' is a plan view.of a clockmechanism embodying this invention;

Fig; 2 is a bottom end view of Fig; 1;

Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3, Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a section on line 4-4, Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a section on line 5-5,.Fig; 1;

' Fig. 6 is a section on line 6'-6, Fig.1;

Fig. 7 is a section on line 7'-7,.Fig.'2;

'Fig. 8 is a section on line 88, Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a section on line 9-9, Fig. 8;

'Fig. 10 is a detailed section on line"10.10,of"Fig. 6;

Fig. 11 is a detailed section on line 11-'-1I, of Fig. 8';

"Fig. 12 is an end view similar .to Fig. 2, showing the segment rack releasedto its position. for' beginning the hour-striking mechanism at'l2 oclock;

Fig; 13 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 5, showing the parts in position justpriortothe hourly .chi'mingf and hour-striking operation;

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig.v 3; showing the parts in positions in which the driving connection is established from the time train to the'striking'mechanism;

Fig. 15 is a view similar to" Fig. 4;"showing, parts in position at the hourly chiming operation;

Fig. 16 is a detail of Fig. 12, showing. the'pawl mechanism for controlling'the segment rack;

Fig. 17 is a detailed view similar'to Figfil'a, but showing the parts intheir position during the: hour-striking operation;

Fig'f18 is a detail of Fig. 'ISQshowing the position. of the intermediate gear trairr during the'h'ounstriking operation;

Fig. 19 is an end view' similar'to Fig. 2, illustrating another embodiment of'this invention;

Fig. 20 is a view similar to Fig. 5 of said embodiment;

Fig. 21 is a view similar to Fig; 4;"of' saidem'b'odiment, showing the mechanismfor striking the chimes;

Fig. 22' is a similar view showing the'parts' duri-ng' the hour-striking operation;

2,851.85 Patented Sept. 16, 1958 ice Fig. 23 is a detail section on line 2323, of Fig. 20; Fig. 24 is. a detail section on line 2424, of Fig. 21; and

' Fig. 25 is a detail section on line 2525, of Fig. 21.

The improvement of this invention is applied to an electric clock of the usual construction including an electric motor indicated in the drawing at 1. In accordance with .the usual practice the motor 1 provides a second shaft 2 to which the second hand of the clock is attached. The shaft 2 operates through a time train including pinion 3, gear 4, pinion 5 and gear 6 to drive a minute shaft 7, to which the minute hand of the clock is attached. The shaft '7, of courses, makes one revolution every. hour.

Also attached to the second shaft 2 is a gear 8 meshing with a pinion 9'turning loosely on anauxiliary shaft 10. The pinion 9 is attached to a gear 11 meshing with a pinion 12. The pinion 12 is mounted on an arm 13 attached to the shaft 10. This. arm is movable about said shaft as an axis. During such movement the gear 12 is driven constantly'by the gear 11 which in turn is driven by the shaft 2 so that it operates continuously while the clock is running.

The movement of the arm 13 about the shaft-10 operates to move the pinion 12 into and out of engagement with a pinion 14 on a shaft '15. The shafts 2', 10, and'15 are suitably journaled in supporting end plates 16 and 17 along with other shafts forming parts of theclock'mechanism in the'usual manner of clock construction. The shaft 15 also has attached thereto a pinion 18. Also pivoted on. the shaft 15 is a bracket 19 having two arms 20*and 21. Secured tothebracket 19' are 'two stub-shafts 22 and '23 which in turn carry pinions 24 and 25 respe'ctivelyyboth meshing with the pinion 18. The other ends of'the stub-shafts 22 and 23 may be attached to a bracket 26'to' provide an end support for said shafts. The pinions 14, 18, 24 and 25 constitute an intermediate gear train for drivingthe striking mechanism.

The striking mechanism may be considered as formed in two parts, the chiming mechanism-and the hour-striking mechanism. As shown in the drawing, the chiming mechanism comprises a gear 27 with which the pinion 24 may be engaged as shown in Fig. 5 for driving the chiming mechanism. Said gear 27 is attached to a shaft 28 journaled in'the end plates 16 and 17. The shaft 28 also has'attached thereto one or more star wheels provided with picks 29 engageable with chiming tines30 in a manner to sound different chimes at the half hour or quarter hourintervals. The intermediate train is movable on the shaft '15 by'rocking the cage formed by the brackets 19 and 26 and the stub-shafts 22 and. 23. Thus this mechanism maybe rocked from the position shown in Fig; 5 to that shown in Fig. 18. In this latter position an hour-strikingmember 31 shown in the form of a cylinder having two'ribs or splines at diametricallyopposite points thereonis brought into position to engage one or more hour-striking tines 32.

' The shaft'lll has attached thereto at its other end adjacent the end plate 17 an arm 33 biased by a spring 34. Thus the shaft 10 forms a connection between the arm 13 carrying the pinion 12 and the arm 33 Fig. 8, thereby forming a sort of bell-crank lever. The spring 34 tends to move the pinion 12 into engagement with the pinion14. The movement of the arm 33 by the spring 34 is limited by engagement of a pin 59 on said arm (Figs. 2 and 6) with a projection 17a on the plate 17. The adjustment is such that when the pin 59 is against the stop 17a the pinion 12 will be positioned in proper inter-meshing relation with the pinion 14.

The arm 33 has a projection 40 forming a cam surface engaging a pin 35 on anarm 36 so that when the arm 36 ismoved about its pivot 37away' from its position in Fig; 8, the pin 35 engaging the projection 41 will hold the arm 33 against the tension of the spring 34 to prevent movement of said arm, the shaft 10, and the arm 13, and thereby prevent engagement of the pinion 12 with the pinion 14.

The minute shaft 7 has attached thereto a cam 41 having a series of pins 42 uniformly spaced about its circumference and projecting laterally therefrom. These pins provide actuating elements adapted to engage and move the arm 36. Since the shaft 7 turns one revolution in an hour, the cam 41 will have the same hourly rotation. Accordingly as shown in Fig. 8, the pins will actuate the arm 36 at quarter-hour intervals. However, other semi-hourly intervals may be used. In this description and in the appended claims, the term semihourly is used in its general sense to denote any fraction of an hour rather than a half hour specifically. Whiie the arm 36 is positioned closely adjacent the cam 41 so as to be in the path of the pins 42, said arm is provided with a wing 43 bent at an angle thereto. The arm 36 is further provided with a bushing 36a and pivoted on a stud 37 secured to the end plate 17. The arm 36 is further secured and held in position by means of a compression spring 38 which is held under compression by the collar 37a fastened or staked on the end of the stud 37. There is sufficient space between the end of the bushing 36a and the collar 37a to permit lateral motion so that by turning the shaft 7 and the cam 41 backward the pins will engage the wing 43 and the planetary action will thereby force the lever 36 away from the plate 17 until the pins 42 have passed beyond the arm 36 and the spring 38 will then return the lever 36 to its proper position.

It will be seen that by this mechanism at the time intervals represented by the spacing of the pins 42, the arm 36 is lifted by one of said pins thereby causing the pin 35, by engagement with the cam member 40, to hold the arm 33 to prevent engagement of the pinions 12 and 14, as described above. While said arm is so held the chiming and striking mechanisms, to be described later, are set up ready for action as soon as the driving connection thereto is established. As the cam 41 rotates, the pin 42 eventually passes out from under the arm 36, permitting that arm to return to the position of Fig. 8. In this position of the arm, the pin 35 enters the recess at the base of the projection 43, which recess is I deep enough to permit the arm 33 to move until the pin 59 engages the stop 17a. This moves the shaft and the arm 13 to engage the pinion 12 with the pinion 14, thus bringing the chiming and striking mechanisms into operation by the time train.

The arm 21 of the intermediate gear train normally rides on the rim of the cam 41, thereby maintaining the pinion 24 in engagement with the gear 27 to drive the chiming mechanism. However, the cam 41 has a dip or recess 44 at one part of its circumference. ingly once each hour, on the hour, the dip 44 passes under the arm 21 thereby freeing said arm for rocking movement on the shaft 15. However, such rocking movement does not take place immediately. The other arm 20 of the bracket 19 has a pin 45 which rides on the rim of a circular cam 46 on the shaft 28. This pin maintains the intermediate train in driving engagement with the chiming mechanim during the semi-hourly striking of the chimes. The cam 46 also has a dip or recess 47 which is located, as will be described later, so as to arrive under the pin 45 at the end of the chime-striking sequence on the hour. Accordingly the recess 47 will arrive opposite the pin 45 when the arm 21 has been freed for movement by the recess 44. Accordingly the pin 45 drops into the recess 47 under the action of a spring 48 attached to the arm 29 and to a pin on the plate 17. As the intermediate train rocks on the shaft 15, the pinion 24 is taken out of engagement with the gear 27 and the hour-striking element 31 is moved into position for engagement with the tines 32 as Shown Accord- Fig. 18. It will be seen that by this arrangement the intermediate train is maintained in driving engagement with the chiming mechanism during the semi-hourly operation of that mechanism and that 011 the hour said train is moved out of engagement with the chiming mechanism and into engagement with the hour-striking mechanism.

The angular extent of the recess 44 in the cam 41 is such as to allow sufficient time for striking the hourly chimes and the 12 oclock hour-striking. At the end of such interval, the shoulder 49 at the end of the recess 44, engages the beveled end of the arm 21 to return said arm to the position of Fig. 8, at the same time moving the pin 45 out of the slot 47. This movement at the same time re-engages the pinion 24 with the gear 27. Thus the re-engagement of the intermediate train with the chiming mechanism takes place at a definite position of the cam 41 and also with the cam 46 in a difinite position determined by engagement of the pin 45 with the slot 47. In other words the re-engagement of the gears 24 and 27 takes place at a time when a definite relationship has been established between the earns 41 and 46. Such driving engagement is then maintained for the succeeding hour. During that hour said train drives the chiming mechanism in a definite sequence of chiming operations as determined by the pins 42, at the end of which sequence said train is disengaged from the chiming mechanism and engaged with the hour-striking mechanism as described above.

In order to determine the duration of each chiming and hour-striking operation, a counting rack 50 is provided. This is in the form of an arcuate segment rack mounted on an arm 51 which is secured to a pivot shaft 52 journaled in the end plates 16 and 1'7. Adjustably secured to the shaft 52 is an arm 53 having a lateral projection 54 adapted for engagement with the rim of a four-section snail cam 55 secured to the minute shaft 7 so as to be driven thereby in hourly rotation. The cam 55 as shown in Fig. 15 has three quarterly sections of successively re duced radius and a fourth section 56 of small enough radius to escape contact by the arm 53 entirely. This cam 55 operates by arresting the arm 53 in definite posi tions to limit the movement of the rack 50 when released at the quarter hour chiming intervals. On the hour when the hour-striking mechanism is to be operated, the arm 53 may swing through the recess 56 without opposition, the rack 50 being located by other means.

The arm 51 which carries the rack 50 has a laterally projecting pin 57 arranged so that when the rack is in its inactive position as shown in Fig. 2, said pin engages and deflects a spring wire 58 connected at its upper end to the pin 59 on the lever 33 and at its lower end hooked over the shaft 52. This places the pin 59 under tension by the spring 58 sufiicient to overcome the tension of the spring 34. The rack is held in its initial position by a pin 60 on a pawl 61 pivoted at 62 on the end plate 17 and tensioned by a spring 63 to maintain the pin 60 in engagement with the rack. The pawl 61 has a downward extension or tail 64 positioned for engagement by the pin 35 on the lever 36, said pin extending through a slot 39 in the plate 17 for that purpose.

In the operation of this part of the mechanism when the lever 36 is lifted by one of the pins 42, the inner end of the pin 35 engages the cam member 40 to prevent engagement of the pinion 12 with the pinion 14 as described above. At the same time the outer end of the pin 35 extending through the slot 39 lifts the tail 64 of the pawl 61, thereby moving the pin 60 out of engagement with the rack 50, Fig. 2. This frees the rack 50 and thereby removes the tension of the spring 58 from the pin 59. In this process the movement of the pin 60, from the base of the tooth on the counting rack to the apex of the tooth is sufficient for the pin 35 on the arm 36 to move from the base of the projection 40 to a point on the cam surface on the projection 40 to prevent engagement of the pinion 12 with the pinion 14. After the pin 60 is raised above the teeth'i'o'n the counting-mack by the: arm.33,- the pin:35 through? the slot liftingthenail -64 of the pawl 61, the rack i's releasedand falls to the left, Fig. 2, moving on its pivot 52 until arrested by engagement of the arm 53' with-the cami55ii The-successive steps of .the cam 55 are such as'to I'permit movement of the rack .50 through a distance corresponding to"- two of its teeth. for the first quarter hour, an additionalldistanceof four teethtfor the second quarter hour, a further additional distance of six teeth for the third quarter hour, and eight teeth for fourth quarter hour plus the number of teeth forthe hour indicated.

.:Since the pinion 12 has established driving engagement with the chiming mechanism after the-rack '5tl was released, theoperation' of-"saidchimingmechanism begins whenxthe pin .42 passes beyond'the arm 36. The shaft I5 of.the intermediate gear trainicarries at its end a pin gear 65 havingtwo diametrically'opposite pins 66 arranged to engagethe teeth of therack '50 as saidpingear rotates. Since said pin gear is'part of the-intermediate-geartrain, it begins to operate as'soon as' said train isplaced in operation. I This means'that it begins to' rotate as soon as the rackSG'has'been located by. the arrest of'the'arm 53 by the cam 55 and release of the arm 36 by the pin 42. The direction of rotation of the gear '65 is such that the teeth 66 willmove the-rack 50 back toward its. initial position one toothat a time. Accordingly thisprovides a counting mechanism whereby'the inter-action of the pins and the'te'ethof therack-50"operates to count the number' ofrevolution's of the pin gear 65 necessary to-return therack 50 to itsinactive position, 'as shown in Fig 2. -As. the rack arrives at' said position the pin 57"engages the spring wirel'58 to excrt a pressure thereon toward the right, Fig. 2. -As this spring SS is connected at 59 to the lever 33, it Will'eXert aforce on said-lever, tending" to'rot'ate it clock wise iii Fig; 2. This turns the shaft and the arm "B itt-the clockwisedirection; Fig. 1-4, and provides force-enough to" disengage'the-pinion 12 from the pinion 14 against the resist-anceof'the driving forces activebetwcen said pinions and the tension of the spring 34. Accordingly when the rack-50 arrives at its initial: position, the chiming mechanism is stopped.

' The chiming mechanism may be of any suitable design. In accordance with this invention there are approximately four tines30 'andthe elements 29 are arrangedto strike themsuccessively, .usually in different sequence at the different quarter-hour operations; This is believed tobe a novel featur'e'of'thisinvention. Assuming," therefore, thatisuch a chiming operation involves the striking of" four notes,-the first operation 'of the quarter hour will sound these four notes in a'certain'sequence. 'The-tim'einterval involved is the same as that required 'for the pin gear 65 10 rotate one revolution, thereby movingthe ra'ck 50 in a return movement corresponding to two teeth. At the half-hour the arm"53'- enga'ges*the second section of the-cam 5S,- permitting the rack to move four teeth. As the chiming mechanism isthen "carried out,the' pin gear 65" must move the rackthrough adistancec'orresponding to fouriteethand this permits a time-interval suflicient for striking eight notes Qnthe-tines 30. Similarly'at the'three-quarter hour therack rmoves six teeth and the chiming operation sounds twelve notes in 'three groups of four.

When the timearrives'to strike the hour, the carn 55 is positioned so that'therecess 56 thereof will permit the arm '53to -pass' therethrough. This permits therack 5t)" tomove until arrested bythe engagementof a stop arm 67 with a snail cam 68'having' steps representing the twelve hours." The 'cam' 68 is"--'driven by suitableconnections to the time train so asto rotate once in-twelve hours. These":steps aresoarranged as to permit'the-rack 50 to moverzone :additional toothifor'each hour-"to be struck. Accordinglylon the hourzthel-pa'rtsare sopositioned as to permit the rack:50;to move a di'stancei'corresponding to the. striking :ofi fournchimes-i ofiournotes each, 01 eight teethaandiin addition-zone: tooth forseach' hour to be struck'byi the hourrstrikingzmechanism. When thelrack hasibeen'so set, andi theiarm'i36 released by the pin'42 the chiming mechanism-.begins'to operateand strikes four chimesequences iof fournotes each. During this time the pin gear :6S..has moved-the.- rack 50 back for a distancelcorresponding to eight teeth. At this point'ofthe operation: the movement of ithechiming mechanism brings the recess 47 ofztheicam 46.11nder the pin 45; said pin drops into said recess. thereby moving the pinion 24 out of engagement with. the gear 27. and moving the hourstrikingmechanismpnarnely. element 31- into striking relation withithe tines 32Ias alreadyidescribed. From here on theelementfilstrikess theitines32 once for each half revolution. At the same time the pin gear 65' turning at-the same rate of.'rotationlas.theelement 31, retracts the rack SGattthe rate of two teeth 'peri revolution. Accordingly the rack is moved back one'tooth. for eachxhour struck bysthe element 31. Again-astherack reaches its'finitial position'thelpin57f' engages the spring'58 and stops theistrikingi mechanismrasfdescribed above.

In order'to' insure uniform. and silent operation of the pinfgear 65 inretracting the rack 50, the pawl 61 is provided with an arm 69 extending above the pin gear 65 as shownin Fig. 2. The arm 69 has its lower edge formed into a curved cam portion '70 which is engaged by each of the pins 66 during rotation thereof to lift the pawl so as to disengage the-pin 60 from the teeth of the rack 50. After-each-pin '66 passes the cam portion 70, the pawl is lowered again so that the pin 60 engages the succeeding tooth of the cam-50. A-finger 71 pivoted'on the pin 62 and tensioned' by a spring 72 is arranged to engage the pins 66 as shown in Fig. 2 so as to locate them in a position to'be 'freeof the rack 50 except when they are being drivenfor retracting said rack as above described Thus when the'striking mechanism is not being driven the pin g'ear65' isprevented from turning loosely due to vibration or the like to bring oneof the teeth '66 into engagement with the rack to prevent the proper functioning of said rack at the proper time.

As described above'after. the end of the hourly striking operation the arm 21 is lifted by theshoulder 49 on the cam 41 so as tore-engage the intermediate train with the chiming'mechanisrn. Since the cam 41 has an hourly rotation, this is a very slow movement so that the pinion approaches the gear 27 very slowly. In the meantime theintermediate train is disengaged from the. time train and all the gears are loose so that they. may rotate slightly due to vibration and thelike. Undersuch conditions it occasionally happens that the. two gearsmeet in such a way that the .tip of the tooth of one engagesv the tip of the tooth of. the other. This may be donein such a waythat-there is no tendency for the teeth to slip, on each other into improper engagement and an excessive pressuremay be developed between the two which would lock thev mechanism. Incorder to avoid this,'one end of the. shaft 28 which carries gear 27 is journaled in an arm 73, Fig. 6, pivoted at 74 onlthe end plate 17 .andtension-ed by a spring 75. The shaft 28 extends through a slot 76-inthe plate 17 in'ordertoreach the arm 73. This provides a yielding mounting for the shaft 28 so that it may move under the pressure'exertedby such accidental tip to tip engagement of the gears. As soon as driving engagement with'the time train is established, the gear'24 is moved positively and will slip back intoproperfmesh with the gear 27.

In the embodiment illustratedv in Figs. 19 to 25 inclusive, the strikingmechanism includes one or more hammers 80i pivoted ion a pin 81' supported in the end plates- 16 and 17. .In this embodiment the arrangement of the time train, the intermediate train, the rack 56 and the mechanism for initiating the striking 0peration'is'the same as described above. In the present'embo'diment, however, theentire mechanismhas been inverted mainly so that the hammers 80 may extend upward to strike sounding bars not shown. Each hammer 80 is formed with a resilient tongue 82 extending along the side thereof but separated from the main shank of the hammer. This tongue has an arcuate portion substantially circular in contour and positioned to extend around the pin 81 but so as to be slightly eccentric with respect to said pin, the center of said tongue 82 being displaced laterally from that of the pin 81. A pillar 83 extends between the plates 16 and 17 parallel to the pin 81 and so spaced therefrom as to be engaged by the prongs 82 of the hammers as the latter deliver their striking blow. This generates frictional retardation of the hammer to prevent it striking the rod the second or successive times to avoid a chattering sound. The elements 29 of the chiming mechanism are arranged to engage extensions 84- on the lower ends of the hammers 80. The chiming mechanism, therefore, may operate the hammers 80 for striking the chimes in the same manner that they operate the tines 30 in the above described embodiment. Springs 85 are arranged to tension the hammers for striking.

In this embodiment the striking of the hour is accomplished by the same hammers 30 which strike the chimes. The movement of the intermediate train to disengage from the chiming mechanism and engage the hour-striking mechanism is made in the same manner as in the embodiment described above, but with some slight changes in mechanism. In place of the striking element 31 a similar element 86 having longer arms 87 is mounted on the shaft 15. The bracket 19 is similar to that of the first embodiment having the arm 21 functioning in the same manner in combination with the cam 4-1. The arm 20 is of somewhat different shape as shown at 20a in Fig. 20 having a pin 45 arranged for cooperation with the recess 47 as before, but having an abutment 88 engageable with a pin 89 on an arm 90 pivoted on the pin 81 and tensioned by a spring 81a. While the arm 21 of the bracket 19 is riding the rim of the cam 41, the engagement of the abutment 88 with the pin 89 holds the arm 90 in the position shown in Fig. 21. However, when the pin 45 drops into the slot 47, the arm 20a is lowered to the position shown in Fig. 22 to disengage the same from the pin 8%. In the position of Fig. 22 a pin 91 on an extension of the arm 90 and extending laterally therefrom, engages the shanks of all the hammers 80 as shown in Fig. 22. in this position also the arm 90 is in the path of the striking elements 87 on the shaft 15. Accordingly when the various parts move to the position of Fig. 22, the rotation of the element 86 causes its arms 87 to strike the arm 9% and move it downward as shown in Fig. 22. This causes the pin 91 to move all of the hammers 80 to the right, Fig. 22. When the tip of the arm 87 passes off of the end of the arm 90, all the hammers are released to strike their sounding bars simultaneously. The element 86, therefore, acts in the same manner as the element 31 of the other embodiment to deliver two hour strokes for each revolution of the shaft 15. In all other respects this latter embodiment operates in the same manner as the first one.

It will be seen, therefore, that this invention provides a simple mechanism whereby chiming and hour-striking devices may be incorporated in a clock of small dimensions. In the first embodiment described above, the mechanism is almost entirely within the outlines of the plates 16 and 17 and very slightly larger than the motor 1. The mechanism is such that a very complete chiming operation may be had. As described above, a chime of four notes identifies the quarter hour, one of eight notes the half hour, one of twelve notes the three-quarter hour and one of sixteen notes the hour. The latter is immediately followed by action of the hour striking mechanism.

Various changes may be made in the details of construction, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of this invention. Parts of the invention may be used without the whole, and

improvements may be added while retaining some or hourly element, a second cam on said chiming mecha nism having a recess, a second arm on said intermediate train having a pin normally riding said second cam, said' cams being so related that said pin may enter said recess when said first arm is freed for movement by said hourly element of said first cam, whereby said intermediate train is disengaged from said chiming mechanism and engaged with said hour-striking mechanism, and connections from said follower operating to move said pinion into driving engagement with said intermediate train.

2. In a clock mechanism having a time train and chiming and hour-striking mechanisms, the improvement comprising an intermediate gear train, a movable element operable to establish driving engagement between said time train and said intermediate train, means for engaging said intermediate train alternatively with said mechanisms, a segment rack pivoted adjacent said time train biased for forward movement on its pivot and having a stop, a snail cam driven by said time train and positioned for engagement by said stop to arrest forwardmovement of said rack, means operated by said time train to actuate said movable element and release said rack for movement, a pin gear on said intermediate train engaging said rack to return the same to its initial position, and an actuator on said rack operating upon arrival at said initial position to return said movable element to disengage said intermediate train.

3. In a clock mechanism having a time train and chiming and hour-striking mechanisms, the improvement comprising an intermediate gear train, a movable element operable to establish driving engagement between said time train and said intermediate train, means for engaging said intermediate train alternatively with said mechanisms, a segment rack pivoted adjacent said time train biased for forward movement on its pivot and having a plurality of stops, a snail cam driven in hourly rotation by said time train and having semi-hourly steps engageable by one of said stops, at second snail cam on the hour shaft of said time train having hourly steps engageable by another of said stops, said cams being arranged relatively so that one of said steps of said first cam releases said first stop so as to permit said second stop to function, means operated by said time train to actuate said movable element and release said rack for movement, a pin gear on said intermediate train engaging said rack to return the same to its initial position, and an actuator on said rack operating upon arrival at such initial position to return said movable element to disengage said intermediate train.

4. In a clock having a time train and chiming and hourstriking mechanisms, the improvement comprising, an intermediate gear train, a support for said intermediate train rockable to engage the same with said chiming or said hour-striking mechanism, means controlled by said.

time train operating at predetermined intervals to establish a driving connection between said trains, a rack mounted for movement of variable extent, means operating at the aforesaid intervals to set ofi an extent of movement of said rack corresponding to the chimes to be sounded, means operating hourly to set off and add to the said movement of said rack a movement corresponding in extent to the hour to be struck by said hour-striking mechanism, means operating to rock said support to shift engagement of said intermediate train at the end of the chiming period from said chiming to said hour-striking mechanism, means on said intermediate train operating in accordance with the operation thereof to progressively move said rack back to its initial position, and means on said rack operating upon its arrival at said initial position to release said driving connection between said trains.

5. In a clock having a time train and striking mechanism, the improvement comprising, a segment rack biased for forward movement upon starting said striking mechanism, a pin gear operating during operation of said striking mechanism and engaging said rack to return the same to its initial position, a pawl engaging said rack and having a portion engaging said pin gear to be lifted thereby while the rack is moved, and a positioning arm biased to engage the pins of said gear to position the same clear of said rack when not in operation.

6. In a clock having a time train and striking mechanism, the improvement comprising a pinion constantly driven by said time train and movable into and out of driving engagement with said mechanism, means cOntrolled by said time train operating to move said pinion into such driving engagement, the direction of the driving effort thereof being such as to maintain such driving engagement, and means controlled by said mechanism for releasing such driving engagement.

7. In a clock having a time train and chiming and hourstriking mechanisms, the improvement comprising, an in termediate gear train including a middle gear and 013100 site side gears in mesh with said middle gear, said gears being mounted in a cage rockable on the axis of said middle gear, whereby said side gears may be moved into driving engagement with said chiming and hour-striking mechanisms respectively.

8. In a clock having a time train and chiming and hour-striking mechanisms, the improvement, comprising, an intermediate gear train including a middle gear and opposite side gears in mesh with said middle gear, said gears being mounted in a cage rockable on the axis of said middle gear, whereby said side gears may be moved into driving engagement with said chiming and hour-striking mechanisms respectively, a cam driven by said time train in hourly rotation and having a dip in its profile, an arm on said cage riding the profile of said earn, a second cam driven by said chiming mechanism and having a dip in its profile, and a second arm on said cage having a member riding the profile of said second cam, whereby when both said arms engage said dips in their respective cams said cage may be rocked to disengage one of said side gears from said chiming mechanism and engage the other with said hour-striking mechanism.

9. In a clock having a time train, the improvement comprising, striking mechanism including a gear, a shaft for said gear, driving connections from said time train to said mechanism including a pinion movable into and out of mesh with said gear, a bearing for said shaft movable toward and away from said pinion, and a spring biasing said bearing toward said pinion.

10. In a clock having a time train, the improvement comprising, striking mechanism including a shaft, a hammer pivoted on said shaft, a resilient tongue on said hammer having a contour slightly eccentric with respect to said shaft, a stationary member engageable by said tongue to damp the swing of said hammer, and means for connecting said time train to said striking mechanism to operate the latter.

11. In a clock having a time train, the improvement comprising, a shaft, a plurality of hammers pivoted on said shaft, chiming mechanism engageable with said hammers, a bracket pivoted on said shaft engageable with said hammers to operate the same simultaneously and having an actuator arm, an intermediate gear train driven by said time train and shiftable into and out of driving engagement with said mechansim, .an hour-striking element on said intermediate train engageable with said actuator arm, and a finger on said intermediate train engaging said actuator arm to move the same out of the path of said hour-striking element when said intermediate train is in engagement with said chiming mechanism.

12. In a clock having a time train and striking mechanism, driving connections for said striking mechanism shiftable into and out of engagement with said time train, means biasing said connections for movement into such engagement, counting mechanism operating to measure the duration of such engagement, and a spring actuator operated by said counting mechanism to disconnect said chiming mechanism from said time train.

13. In a clock having a time train, striking mechanism comprising, one or more tines rigidly supported at one end thereof and free for vibration at the other end thereof, a shaft driven by said time train, a pinion on said shaft, a bracket rockable on said shaft, a second pinion supported for rotation on said bracket and meshing with said first pinion, and a rotary member on said bracket driven by said second pinion having a spline element engageable with said tines by rocking said bracket.

14. In a clock having a time train, striking mechanism comprising, chiming tines and hour-striking tines, a shaft driven by said time train, a pinion on said shaft, a bracket rockable on said shaft, second and third pinions mounted for rotation on said bracket and meshing with said first pinion, chiming mechanism for sounding said chiming tines engageable by said second pinion when said bracket is rocked in one direction, and striking mechanism engageable with said hour-striking tines when said bracket is rocked in the other direction.

15. In a clock having a time train, a cam driven by said train and having one or more projections providing actuating elements, a laterally yielding arm providing a cam follower having a head portion engaging said cam and said elements, said head portion having a cam face engageable by said elements upon reverse movement of said cam in setting the clock and operating to move said head portion laterally to permit said elements to pass it.

16. In a clock having a time train, a cam driven by said train and having one or more projections providing actuating elements, an arm of spring material providing a cam follower having a head portion engaging said cam and said elements, said head portion having a cam face engageable by said elements upon reverse movement of said cam in setting the clock and operating to move said head portion laterally to permit said elements to pass it.

17. In a clock having a time train, a cam member driven by said train and having one or more actuating elements, and a rigid arm providing a follower for said cam; the improvement comprising, a pivotal mounting for said arm including a pivot stud, a bearing for said stud arranged for endwise movement to accommodate lateral shift of said arm, a spring yieldingly maintaining said stud in normal position in said bearing, and a cam-wing on said arm engageable by said actuating elements upon reverse movement of said cam in setting the clock to shift said arm laterally to permit said elements to pass it.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,520,415 Hodge Dec. 23, 1924 2,176,870 Fowler Oct. 24, 1939 2,599,948 Shvetz June 10, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 411,139 Great Britain June 1, 1934 1,021,023 France Nov. 26, 1952 

